eobeetsof



(No Model.)

J. H. ROBERTSON.

CABLE LIPTBR PQRGABLE RAILWAYS. y No. 372,930.r

Patented Nov N. PETERS. Plma-Lhngrapher. Wushingmny D. C.

UNITED STATES JOHN H. ROBERTSON, OF NEWT YORK, N. Y.

CABLE-LIFTER FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,930, dated November 8, 1887. Application filed April 20, 1887. Serial No. $235,463. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, J oHN H. RoBERTsoN, of the city and county of New York, in the State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cable-Lifters for Gable Railways, of which the following is a specification. In the operation of cable railways it is frequently difficult to lift the cable from its supporting-sheaves in the cable-tunnel into range ofthe grip-jaws. It is commontoemploy two parallel lines of cable, both moving in the same tunnel and in the same direction, and in case of the cable with which the grip is connected stopping, by reason of the stoppage of the operating-engine, or in case of the cable escaping from the grip, it becomes necessary to lift the escaped cable or the other cable into range of the grip. Myinvention relates to cable-lifting devices which consist of arms pivoted in a track-supporting structure, so as to swing in a plane transverse to the line of cable, and by which the cable may be lifted from its ordinary supportingsheave into rangeV of the grip, said arm to be operated by a connection at the side of the track. In my construction a rockshaft extends parallel with the line of cable, and is provided with cable-lifting arms which engage with the cable tolift itboth in advance 'of and behind the grip upon a car; and a singleA connection leads from this rock-shaft to a point adjacent to the track, and through which the rock-shaft may be turned to raise the arm. Where two cables are employed,with one or the other of which 'cars may be engaged, the arms should be bowed downward from the rock-shaft, or lshould be of `U shape, so that` they will serve to lift one cable without coming in contact with the other cable, but will simply raise up under the other cable without lifting it.V Each arm may be composed of two sections united by a joint providing for the r adjustment in a vertical plane of one section relatively to the other, so that the pulley,with which each arm is provided, may be brought to justv the desired vertical position for raisving the cable to the level of the grip when operated.

The invention will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is Aa transverse section of a cable railway to which are applied my improved cable-lifters. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section upon about the plane indicated by the dotted line x x, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation upon a larger scale, showing a box or casing to which the connection for operating the cablelifters may be conducted, and through which they may be operated, and such box or casing being arranged atthe side ofthe track, and also showing a key for use in connection therewith; and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views in planes at right angles to each other, showing a novel construction ofjoint which may be employed to connect two sections of the cable-lifting arms, as will be hereinafter described.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates the trackrails, and yB designates the slot-bars, between which is maintained a narrow slot, b, for the reception of the plates c, which form the sole connection between the car above the surface and the grip mechanism moving below the surface and in the tunnel D. I have in Fig. l shown the grip mechanism in outline.' In the tunnel D are also j ournaled eable'supporting sheaves D', upon which two cables may be supported. The track-rails and the slot-bars may be supported in a well-known manner by transverse frames or yokes E, arranged at a suitable distance apart. v

In the present example of my invention the cable-lifters are adapted fortwo cables moving in one tunnel D, and for each cable I have represented a pair of lifters, F, which consist of arms secured upon the rockshaft F., and provided at their free ends with rollers f. The rock-shaft'F may be suitably journaled in bearings c in the adjacent yokes or transverse frames E, and by turning either rock-shaft the pair of arms F connected therewith will be .swung in a plane transverse to the line of movement of the cable. These arms are of such length and are so arrangedthat when in their lowermost position, as shown by full lines in Fig. ]their rollers f will have their cable-supporting surfaces coincident with the cable-supporting groovein one sheave D', and, as best shown in Fig. l, the rollers f have flanges upon one side only, and are destitute of iianges on their other side. When the cable is to be lifted, the arms-F upon either IOC rock-shaft are raised by turning the shaft, so that they come into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby raising the cable Gto the level of the grip-jaws s s', and permitting the cable to slip laterally olf the flangeless side of the roller and into the grip. As here represented, the arms F, which pro ject from each rock-shaft, serve to lift the cable which is farthest from that rock-shaft, and are bowed or curved downward in theirlength, as best shown in Fig. l, so that in lifting the cable most distant from either rock-shaft they do not come in contact or interfere with the cable nearest that rock-shaft. lt is desirable that a definite movementimparted tothe lifting-arms F shall bring them into such position that the cable will slip readily from their rollers f into the grip; and to this end Ihave represented each arm as composed of two seetions, the section which carries the rollerj" being connected with the section upon the rock-shaft by a joint, f', which provides for adjustment of one section on the other. One construction of joint which will provide for such adjustment is represented in Figs. 4 and 5. The adjacent ends of the sections overlap each other, and are pivotally connected by a clampingscrew, j, and their bearing-surfaces are serrated or provided with interlocking teeth and grooves, as shown at f in Fig. 5, and which extend radially from the clampingscrew f2. By loosening this screw the outer section of arm which carries the roller may be turned upon the screw, and by clamping the screw the section may, by its interlocking teeth and grooves,v be readily secured in a new relation to the section of the arm which is on the rock-shaft.

Each rock-shaft F' is provided with a third a1 1n, f4, from which extends a chain, f5, or other suitable flexible connection, and at the surface of the pavement adjacent to the track is a box or easing, H, into which leadsaflexible connection or ehainf, and which is best shown in Fig. l. This box or casing H is slotted at the side and near the bottom, as at h, and in said slot is mounted a roller, 7L', along which the chain is carried and from which it passes upward to the plug or plunger H', free to slide within the box or casing H, and held against downward movement therein by a shonlder, h2. In the top of the plunger or sliding plug is an oblong hole, h, which may receive an oblong head, h, upon a key, H2, such as is shown in Fig. 3 iu perspective. Vhen the key is turned to one position, its head It may be readily inserted through the slot h3, and then by turning the key one-quarter of a turn it may be made to lap across the slot and prevent free withdrawal therefrom, so that by lifting upon the key the plunger or sliding plug H may be lifted and the cablelitters F operated through the connection f5.

vVhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a cable-supporting sheave, of a cable-lifter consisting of an arm pivoted adjacent to the cable and arranged to swing transversely to the line of cable, and composed of two sections united by a joint providing for the adjustment in a vertical plane of one section relatively to the other, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with a cable-supporting shcave, ol' a rock-shaft extending parallel with the line of cable and provided with cable-lifting arms, and a single connection leading to the 1ocksliat`t and by which it may be turned to operate the arms, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with two cables and their supporting-sheavcs, of cable-litters consisting ot' arms pivoted to swing in planes transverse to the line of cables, and each bowed or curved downward, so as to clear one cable in lifting the other,substantially asherein described.

A4. rlhe eombinatian, with a cable-railway track and its eablc,ofa cable-lifter consisting of an ar1n pivoted adjacent to the cable to swing in a plane transverse to the line of cable, a surface box or casing adjacent to the track, a connection extending from said arm into the box or casing, and a key for insertion into the box or easing for engaging said connection, substantially as herein described.

JOHBT II. ROBERTSON.

W'itnesses:

FREDK. HAYNIfJs, HENRY J. MeBRrDn. 

